Striking surface for matches and method of forming same



F. L. SINKS July 6, 1954 STRIKING SURFACE FOR MATCHES AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed Oct. 19, 1951 ATTORNEY Patented July 6, 1954 STRIKING. SURF-ACE FOR MATCHES AND.- M-E'EHOD OF FORMING SAME Frank L. Sinks, Wadsworth, Ohio, assi'gnor to Thev Ohio Match Company, Wadsworth, Ohio,a cor"- poration of Delaware vApplication October 19, 1951;, Serial No.:2-52,109

Claims. 1

This invention relates to. an abrasive striking surface for friction. matches.

One. object ofv the, invention is to provide a composition. for: theproduction of a. striking surface-formatcheswhich is'of a waterproof and nomdusting; nature.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide such'a composition and a method-of its application to match. boxes or match box slides which,

in, combinatiomserve to yield. a superior match striking surface.

Waterproof; match striking surfaces are wellknown; They have beenmade, for instance, by applyinga coating, composition composed of a water-insoluble lacquer base, a suitable volatile solvent,.and; an igniting agent such as red phosphorns, and: red; antimony sulfide to a support suchv as a.car,db oar d match container and evaporating the volatile solvent. It is also Well-known to; providelwaterproof' sandpaper, which might .beausedas-amatch strikingsurface, by applying a, coating. composition; composed of a: lacquer bas avolatile. solvent and a finely. divided abrasivev to asuitable support. such. as paper or, fabric and. evaporating the solvent.

In, accordance with the present. invention a novel and: functionallyv superior match striking surface may be provided by. applyinga particularcoating composition in a particularmanner, as. will be fully described hereinafter'and finally claimed.

Toassist in the description of the invention, reference ismade tothe accompanying. drawing which illustrates. embodiments: of. the match striking surface and elements of an appropriate coating machine for applying it.

In the drawings:

Fig: lie a' perspective view of a match box having a striking surface in accordance with the invention; a

Fig.2 is anenlarged cross-section of the striking surface or coating taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig: 3-isa section taken on,the line 3-3, Fig. 4, showing in side elevation essential elements of the coating machine with parts broken away;

and. r

Fig. 4 is averticalsectionof the coating machine taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referringto Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the slide of. thematch box I isprovided with,

the match striking surface 2.

pearance of the surface is enhanced by the color of the coating composition; e. g. blue or red, which contrasts with the. 00101:, e. g. white, of the, underlying paperboard. As a result, the color of the coating; varies from light blue. or light: red-at areas- 3 where the coating. is. relatively' thin todark blue or dark red at areas.4 where the coating is. relatively thick. If color is omitted from, the coating composition and the color ofthe composition-is substantially the sameas that of the paperboard; base, the ornamental appearance of; the coating will be. practically. negligible becausethepattern of different depths of coating will: not be revealed. by contrasting depths of color but: the irregular contour of the surface will-1 of course be present whether colored or not, and Will serveto. facilitate the striking, of matches.

Referring to Figs. 3: and 4, it willbe-seen that the coating machine. will: preferably include a substantially semi-cylindrical tankor. trough 5 for the coating. composition, a. rotatable applicator wheel; 6; mountedito: dip; into the. body 1 of fluid coating composition, an. adjustable scraper, doctor or' gate 8 for removing; excess coating, composition from; the, applicator wheel, belts-1 9. and Hi and'guides, I I. and I2 for conveying the match boxrslides; t3 infiat-foldedorcollapsed: condition. in; contact with; the applicator wheel: and a: presserroller M for. pressing the slides into contact with: the applicator wheel. In operation, the slidesaare .conveyediby thebelts 9 and I0 over the guides-:- H and: It: incontact Withthe applicatorwheel.-: 6. The belts. 9." and Hi and the wheel 6. are interdependently;. synchronously driven. from; the .1main. drive. (not shown) through a chain: and: sprocket: linkage (not shown). and their.- rateofmovement: may be varied as desired by varying; the speed. of? the main drive. The speed-:ratioof: the beltsz91 and i0 and the wheel 6 normally is fixed. but: may be varied by substituting/sprockets having different numbers of teeth for the drive and/or driven sprockets which. drive the wheel 6. The presser roller His: not driven but is turned by its frictional contactwithv the slides. and. is. adjustable, depending upon the thickness of the ,slides', to produce the desired contact between I theycoating composition; The ornamental; ap-. Y

the slides and the applicator wheel 6. The gate 81is adjusted to leave thedesired weight of coatingcomposition on the applicator wheel 6 and the level of the coating composition in the tank 5 is maintained at about the level indicated by the line l5.

It is highly important that gate 8 be adjusted to leave an evenly distributed film of proper thickness on applicator. wheel 6. Here viscosity is very important both in getting an even film on wheel 6 and immediately afterwards in its transfer to the slide. At this transfer point a combination of just the right pressure from roller i4 and the slight scumng action produced by the wheel 6 traveling faster than the slide gives a slight twist to the freshly deposited film resulting in a veined or mottled effect. The combination of correct viscosity and high evaporation rate causes this pattern to set instantly and become permanent. If the viscosity of the composit on is too low, the veined pattern practically disappears due to afterflow. If the viscosity is too high, poor transfer from wheel 6 results and the sand strip is very uneven. If the pressure from roller I4 is too great, the composition is pushed out past the normal borders of the sand strip in unsightly ridges which'are very difficult to dry. If the pressure from roller I4 is too little, the slide does not properly pick up the film from wheel 6 and skipped spots and streaks result. Once properly set, roller I4 is readjusted only to compensate for differences in caliper or springiness of the slide paper. The veined pattern could be made more pronounced by speeding up wheel 6 in relation to belts 9 and Hi. The pattern could be made to disappear by synchronizing wheel 6 with belts 9 and 10. The pattern could be reversed by running belts 9 and I faster than wheel 6.

The speed of travel of the slides may vary within wide limits such as from 100 feet to 1000 feet per minute. It has been found that with an "applicator wheel of about 9.5 inches in diameter and about inch in width of its peripheral surface, suitable speeds for the slides and the peripheral surface of the applicator wheel are 690 feet per minute for the wheel and 675 feet per minute for the slides in the same direction, 1. e. a speed differential of about 2%.

The coating composition should have a v scosity within the range from about 55 to about 90 seconds, Zahn G-2 viscosimeter at 85 F., and preferably from about 55 to about 60 seconds. It is noted that as the viscosity of the coating increases, the weight of coating applied increases.

A thick coating is objectionable because it wastes coating composition and gives rise to difficulties in drying the coating. On the other hand, if the viscosity of the coating composition is low, the coatings tend to be thin and spotty and do not adhere well to the slides. Optimum coating thickness runs from about one thousandth inch in the valleys or light spots to about five thousandths on the ridges or heavy spots.

Veined coatings may be obtained by the use of a variety of coating compositions, consisting essentially of film forming adhesive, volatile vehicle and abrasive.

The following illustrates a preferred coating composition.

Example 1 Percen t Abrasive, silica sand 68.0 Extender and anti-settling agent,

fibrous magnesium silicate 31 0 Pigment 75% Anti-settling agent, aluminum stearate .5 Color pigment 0.

Nitrocellulose Plasticizer Vehicle 25% Resin 65 5 Solvent, ethyl acetate 55 0 Diluents, toluol and petroleum 46% Thinner spirits 45. 0

100.0 Viscosity 55-60 sec. on Zann G-2 viscosimeter at 85 F.

These ingredients may be incorporated into a coating composition by first dissolving the nitrocellulose in the ethyl acetate. The resin, e. g. a maleic anhydride modified rosin obtainable under the trade name Amberol #801, is added to the nitrocellulose solution and dissolved therein, and the plasticizer, e. g. tricresyl phosphate is then added and dissolved. Fine sand and the magnesium silicate, aluminum stearate and color pigment are then stirred into the solution and the resulting thin paste is ground in a paint mill. The resulting liquid is then diluted with the toluol and petroleum spirits to the desired viscosity. The magnesium silicate ingred ent of the composition preferably is a finely divided fibrous form produced by pulverizing natural mineral asbestos and is commonly known as Asbestine.

It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art of making paints and lacquers that a variety of well-known waterproof film forming materials may be substituted for the nitrocellulose and a variety of well-known plasticizers and resins may be substituted for the tricresyl phosphate and the maleic anhydride modified rosin. Also other well-known abrasives may be substituted for the silica sand, and other anti-settling agents may be substituted for the magnesium silicate and the aluminum stearate. Any desired color pigment may be used and a great Variety of solvents and diluents, depending upon the solubility characteristics of the film forming material and control of evaporation rate. The principal ingredients of the composition are the abrasive, the waterproof film forming materials including the nitrocellulose or equivalent, the resin and the plasticizer, which serve to bind the abrasive into a coherent and adherent coating and the volatile solvent. The other ingredients serve their wellknown purposes, i. e. the color pigment imparts the desired color to the coating and the antisettling agents serve to keep the abrasive in suspension in the liquid composition. The plasticizer and resin serve to modify the flexibility and other properties of the film as is well understood in the paint and lacquer art. Not only may the ingredients of the composition be substituted by Well-known equivalents but the proportions thereof may be varied provided that the viscosity of the composition is such as to permit the production of the veined coating by proper adjustment of the relative rates of movement of the slides and the applicator wheel.

cellulose and resin, e. g. maleic anhydride modified rosin in the solvent, adding the abrasive, anti-settling agents and pigment, grinding the mixture and then diluting to the desired viscosity.

Suitable color pigments for use in the above examples are Alkali Blue Lake and Lithol Red. The abrasive should be of the order of 150 mesh. Suitable plasticizers are tricresyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate and cresyl diphenyl phosphate. Substitute resins should be selected having properties, particularly rate of solvent release, similar to that of the maleic anhydride modified rosin.

An important property of the abrasive striking surface particularly in the packaging of friction matches in boxes provided with the striking surface is that it is non-dusting.

As distinguished from sand papers in which the abrasive grains are merely adhesively attached to the paper the abrasive grains of the striking surface of the present invention are completely covered by and embedded in the film forming composition. This would be objectionable in a sand paper but does not lessen the utility of the article as a match striking surface.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the principle of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Method for the product on of a match striking surface which consists'in continuously forming a coating of a composition consisting essentially of finely divided abrasive, water insoluble film-forming material and volatile organic solvent and having a viscosity within the range from about 55 to about 90 seconds on a Zahn G-2 viscosimeter at 85 F., on a cylindrical surface, transferring said coating to a substantially flat supporting surface by continuously moving said surfaces in the same direction in contact with each other at speeds within the range from 100 feet to 1000 feet per minute and evaporating said volatile solvent.

2. Method for the production of an abrasive match striking surface as defined in claim 1, in

which the coating composition has a viscosity of -60 seconds on a Zahn G-2 viscosimeter at F.

3. Method as defined in claim 1, in which the velocity of the cylindrical surface and the velocity of the supporting surface differ by about 2%.

4. Method as defined in claim 3, in which the velocity of the cylindrical surface is about 690 feet per minute and the velocity of the supporting surface is about 675 feet per minute.

5. Method for the production of an abrasive match striking surface which comprises contacting a first surface travelling at the rate of about 690 feet per minute and bearing a coating of a liquid coating composition consisting essentially of a'finely divided abrasive, a water insoluble film forming material and a volatile organic solvent therefor and having a viscosity of 55-60 seconds on a Zahn G-2 viscosimeter at 85 F. with a second surface travelling at the rate of about 675 feet per minute, separating said surfaces and evaporating the organic solvent from the resulting coating on said second surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,486,205 Tufts Mar. 11, 1924 2,031,352 Ellis Feb. 18, 1936 2,124,666 Benner et a1 July 26, 1938 2,131,678 Szathmary Sept. 27, 1938 2,201,194 Melton et a1 May 21, 1940 2,284,715 Benner et a1. Jan. 22, 1941 2,287,060 Oakes June 23, 1942 2,325,172 Borglin July 27, 1943 2,419,194 Barwell Apr., 22, 1947. 

1. METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A MATCH STRIKING SURFACE WHICH CONSISTS IN CONTINUOUSLY FORMING A COATING OF A COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF FINELY DIVIDED ABRASIVE, WATER INSOLUBLE FILM-FORMING MATERIAL AND VOLATILE ORGANIC SOLVENT AND HAVING A VISCOSITY WITHIN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 55 TO ABOUT 90 SECONDS ON A ZAHN G-2 VISCOSIMETER AT 85* F., ON A CYLINDRICAL SURFACE, TRANSFERRING SAID COATING TO A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SUPPORTING SURFACE BY CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SAID SURFACES IN THE SAME DIRECTION IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER AT SPEEDS WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 100 FEET TO 1000 FEET PER MINUTE AND EVAPORATING SAID VOLATILE SOLVENT. 